title: Impact of a multifaceted community-based falls prevention program on balance-related psychologic factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the impact of a multifaceted falls prevention program including exercise and educational components on perceived balance and balance confidence among community-dwelling seniors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quasi-experimental design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community-based organizations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred community-dwelling adults aged 60 years and over recruited by community-based organizations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 12-week multifaceted falls prevention program including 3 components (a 1-hour group exercise class held twice a week, a 30-minute home exercise module to be performed at least once a week, a 30-minute educational class held once a week).
  
  
  METHODS
  Perceived balance and balance confidence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multivariate analysis showed that the program was successful in increasing perceived balance in experimental participants. However, balance confidence was not improved by program participation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A multifaceted community-based falls prevention program that was successful in improving balance performance among community-dwelling seniors also had a positive impact on perceived balance. However, the program did not improve participants' balance confidence. These results suggest that balance confidence has determinants other than balance and that new components and/or modifications of existing components of the program are required to achieve maximal benefits for seniors in terms of physical and psychologic outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Montreal, QC, Canada. johanne.filiatrault@umontreal.ca
authors.forename: Johanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Filiatrault
authors.forename: Lise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gauvin
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Robitaille
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laforest
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fournier
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Corriveau
mesh_terms: D000056:Accident Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000523:psychology*; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance; D011792:Quebec